Barbara Walters

Barbara Walters – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Barbara Walters (September 25, 1929 – December 30, 2022) was a pioneering American broadcast journalist and television personality who broke barriers for women in news, conducted iconic interviews, and co-created The View.

Introduction

Barbara Walters was one of the most influential figures in American television journalism. A trailblazer for women in a male-dominated field, she became the first woman cohost of NBC’s Today, the first female coanchor of a network evening newscast, and eventually the creator and cohost of the daytime talk show The View. Known for her graceful presence, incisive interviewing style, and ability to elicit candid responses from prominent figures, Walters shaped how television engages with public personalities and news. Her career spanned more than six decades, and her legacy continues to inspire journalists—especially women—around the world.

Early Life and Family

Barbara Jill Walters was born on September 25, 1929, in Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents were Dena (née Seletsky) and Lou Walters (born Louis Warmwater). Her father, Lou Walters, was involved in the entertainment and hospitality business; he operated nightclubs (including the Latin Quarter) and was a Broadway producer. Barbara had two siblings: a younger brother, Burton, who died of pneumonia in 1932, and an older sister, Jacqueline, who was born with developmental disabilities.

During her childhood, Walters’ family moved around between Boston, Miami Beach, and New York. Her father’s ventures in entertainment sometimes succeeded, sometimes failed, and she witnessed financial instability in the family.

Walters attended public and private schools. She left public school halfway through fifth grade when the family relocated to Miami Beach, then later attended Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York, and Birch Wathen School. In 1951 she graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York, with a Bachelor’s degree in English.

Youth, Early Career, and Entry into Television

After college, Walters initially worked in publicity, writing press releases and doing behind-the-scenes media work. In 1953, she joined WNBT (NBC’s New York station), producing a children’s news and information show called Ask the Camera. She moved to work for WPIX producing The Eloise McElhone Show, and then later worked as a writer for The Morning Show at CBS.

In 1961, Walters joined NBC’s Today show as a writer and researcher. Over time, she took on on-air segments, reporting, and developing her own features. During her earlier years on Today, she was given lighter assignments (so-called "women's interest" pieces), but she steadily earned more serious reporting roles. In 1974, she became cohost of Today, making her the first woman to hold such a role on a major American morning news program.

Career and Achievements

Breaking News Anchoring & 20/20

In 1976, Barbara Walters made history by becoming coanchor of ABC Evening News (with Harry Reasoner), making her the first woman to coanchor an American network evening newscast. Though that arrangement lasted only until 1978, it was a watershed moment for women in broadcast journalism. In 1979 she moved to ABC’s newsmagazine 20/20, eventually becoming cohost with Hugh Downs. She remained associated with 20/20 in various capacities until 2004. Between her roles at Today, evening news, and 20/20, Walters developed her reputation as a great interviewer—her "personality journalism" style combined soft approach with direct questions.

She became known for Barbara Walters Specials—primetime interview specials with prominent figures and personalities. One of her most-watched interviews was with Monica Lewinsky in 1999, which drew massive viewership.

The View and Later Career

In 1997, Walters co-created the daytime talk show The View, which brought together women of different generations and viewpoints to discuss current events and issues. She cohosted and served in executive roles. She appeared on The View as cohost until 2014, and beyond that provided special contributions. Even after stepping back, she occasionally returned for specials and interviews up until about 2015.

Barbara Walters’ career included many honors:

• Induction into the Television Hall of Fame in 1989

• A Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) in 2000

• A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007

Her interviewing résumé is vast: she interviewed every sitting U.S. president and first lady from Nixon to Obama, as well as world leaders such as Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein, Margaret Thatcher, Vladimir Putin, Indira Gandhi, and more.

Historical Milestones & Context

• Walters broke gender barriers in broadcast journalism at a time when news programming was overwhelmingly male-dominated. Her career opened doors for many women journalists.

• She helped popularize celebrity-style interviews in news, blending personality and in-depth questions, which influenced the evolution of television news and newsmagazines.

• Her success in both news and daytime talk represented a bridging of “hard news” and more conversational, public-facing journalism.

• The View was among the early talk shows that gave women a platform to discuss politics, culture, and current events from diverse viewpoints—its format has largely been emulated since.

• Over the decades, she saw transitions from network dominance to cable and digital media—yet managed to remain relevant by adapting her formats and projects.

Legacy and Influence

Barbara Walters’ legacy is profound:

• She is widely credited with paving the way for women to lead in broadcast news, showing that female journalists could anchor, interview powerfully, and command prime time roles.

• Her interviewing style—calm, disarming, prepared—became a model for many who followed. She demonstrated that strong journalism could be empathetic, probing, and human.

• The View endures as a daytime institution, continuing the conversation-based journalism she helped envision.

• Her body of work—news, specials, interviews—represents a bridge between journalism and broader cultural discourse.

• She is often cited as an inspiration by generations of female journalists and broadcasters about ambition, persistence, and breaking glass ceilings.

Personality, Strengths & Challenges

Barbara Walters was known for her poise, intelligence, curiosity, and her ability to put interviewees at ease while still asking hard questions. She did not adopt an overly aggressive style; rather, she combined warmth with firmness—frequently framing personal questions with sensitivity.

Walters faced challenges:

• Early in her career, women in news often faced discrimination, limited roles, and skepticism. Walters had to push for access to harder news material beyond “women’s interest” stories.

• Her time co-anchoring with Harry Reasoner was fraught; Reasoner reportedly disliked sharing the spotlight.

• Balancing public exposure and personal privacy was complex—her sister’s developmental disability, her own private life, and her health later in life were sometimes matters of public interest.

• In later years she underwent open heart surgery (in 2010) to replace a faulty aortic valve.

• In her final years, she suffered from dementia and gradually withdrew from the public sphere.

Famous Quotes of Barbara Walters

Here are several memorable quotes that reflect Walters’ worldview, her approach to interviews, and her perspective on career and life:

• “Don’t fight the little fights. If you don’t get all the lines, if you’re not where you should be—be the first one in. Be the last one out. Do your homework. Choose your battles. Don’t whine, and don’t be the one who complains about everything. Fight the big fights.”

• “Everybody has a story. Everybody is interesting. Everybody has something to say.”

• “Interviewing is like dealing with diamonds—cut to exact brilliance and no more.”

• “I think we all care about what people think of us … Always have.”

• “I would rather know and suffer than not know and wonder.”

These quotes highlight her persistence, her belief in preparation, her respect for people’s stories, and her courage to ask difficult questions.

Lessons from Barbara Walters

From her life and career we can draw several key lessons:

1. Forge your own path, even in restrictive environments. Walters started in roles considered “soft” or peripheral to news, but she pushed into serious journalism.

2. Preparation is power. Her rigorous prep and research for interviews allowed her to ask penetrating questions and maintain control in conversations.

3. Balance softness with strength. Her interviewing style shows that empathy and firmness can coexist—rapport doesn’t preclude rigor.

4. Be visible and persistent. Her presence and steady work over decades normalized the idea of women in top media roles.

5. Choose battles wisely. As she advised herself, don’t sweat every small setback—focus on the bigger fights that matter.

Conclusion

Barbara Walters’ life was a testament to ambition, adaptability, and courage in a field where few women had staked territory. She redefined what broadcast journalism could be—mixing empathy with depth, personality with gravitas—and in doing so opened doors for those who came after. Her interviews, her talk show, and her pioneering roles remain an enduring legacy. Though she passed away on December 30, 2022, at age 93, her influence lives on every time a journalist asks a tough question with respect, or a woman anchors a network newscast with confidence.